Witness | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | June 9, 2017 | |||
Recorded | 2016–2017 | |||
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Genre | ||||
Length | 57:28 | |||
Label | Capitol | |||
Producer | ||||
Katy Perry chronology | ||||
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Singles from Witness | ||||
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Witness is the fifth studio album by American singer Katy Perry. It was released on June 9, 2017, by Capitol Records. For the album, Perry worked with numerous producers, including Jeff Bhasker, Mark Crew, Duke Dumont, Jack Garratt, Oscar Holter, Illangelo, Ilya, Max Martin, Ali Payami and Shellback. Witness is an electropop album that delves into dance and EDM genres, with lyrics on self-empowerment and feminism. Perry described it as an album of "liberation" and "purposeful pop".
Five singles aided Witness, out of which, three were released before the album and one reached the top-ten of the Billboard Hot 100 chart: the lead single, "Chained to the Rhythm" featuring Skip Marley, peaked at number four on the Hot 100. "Bon Appétit" featuring Migos peaked at number 59, while "Swish Swish" featuring Nicki Minaj reached number 46. "Save as Draft" and "Hey Hey Hey" were released as subsequent singles on June 26, 2017 and January 12, 2018, respectively, with "Hey Hey Hey" receiving a music video. To support the album's release, Perry broadcast herself on a four-day YouTube live-stream, titled Katy Perry Live: Witness World Wide. Upon release, critics were divided towards the album. Some criticized the production and lyricism, while others welcomed the album's personal nature and singled out certain tracks for praise.
Moving 180,000 album equivalent units in its first-week, Witness debuted atop the US Billboard 200 chart, becoming Perry's third chart-topping album in the country. The album also topped the charts in Canada and Spain, while reaching number two in Australia, South Korea, Mexico, and New Zealand and the top five region in nine other territories. To promote the album, Perry embarked on her fourth concert tour, Witness: The Tour. Prior to the release of the album, Perry had not released new material in four years, with the exception of the 2016 Summer Olympics anthem, "Rise". After releasing Prism (2013) and touring in 2014–2015, Perry went on hiatus to protect her mental health and to return afresh.[3] Perry decided to shed her on-stage persona and embrace her self-proclaimed authentic self as Katheryn Hudson, her real name. As a result, she retired her long, dark hair for a short pixie cut, and adopted her natural blonde hair color.[4]